I never met Senator Kennedy in person but I remember attending a meeting at the Senator’s Washington D.C. office last year. As I was sitting in the reception area waiting for his staff to meet with me, I was awe struck by all of the pictures of Senator Kennedy, his family and the world leaders the Senator met during his political career. Senator Kennedy was larger than life and I was saddened yesterday to hear that the Liberal Lion of the Senate had lost his long battle with brain cancer.

As President Barack Obama said yesterday, “our country has lost a great leader who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States Senator of our time”. Senator Kennedy helped push through the Americans with Disabilities Act, he extended prescription drugs to seniors, he helped to ensure health care coverage for children from low income families and he was a champion of Civil Rights.

Senator Kennedy’s 1980 Democratic National Convention speech still is a very powerful message for all of us today: “For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die”. The work does go on, the cause does endure, the hope does still live and we must not let the dream die.

I believe that now is the time for Young Democrats all across New York State to join together, start local chapters in areas where Young Democrats have no voice, and let our elected officials know where we stand on health care reform, equality for all New Yorkers, education and any other issue that matters to you.

Senator Kennedy has passed the torch to our generation, but we must now be the ones to carry that torch. This is our opportunity and we must not let our beloved friend down.

I need your help now more than ever!

There are still places in New York where Young Democrats have no one or no place to turn to. Please join me as we work to strengthen the New York State Young Democrats and ensure that our voices are heard.

For more information on the New York State Young Democrats or on how to start a chapter, please visit our website at nysyd.org